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Biomedical subjects

R S Sharma

Publications and source records attributed to R S Sharma.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

An analytical presentation of drug resistance in Plasmodium falciparum and guidelines to formulate a drug strategy.

The present paper describes the advantage/limitation of presently available 'in-vivo' methods to detect sensitivity status of Plasmodium falciparum to commonly used antimalarial drugs. The paper is based on a retrospective analysis of 890 P. falciparum cases and various parameters used to define the level of drug resistance. The presented quantification methodology with weightage system to different epidemiological variables of resistance may provide a guideline as to the level of parasite resistance, and a switch over to another antimalarial of firstline treatment which is of the considerable importance to provide early diagnosis and prompt treatment to avert the severe cases/deaths due to malaria.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Urban malaria and its vectors Anopheles stephensi and Anopheles culicifacies (Diptera : Culicidae) in Gurgaon, India.

The seasonal variation in the density of immature and adult malaria vectors Anopheles stephensi and An. culicifacies were recorded from January to December, 1986 in urban Gurgaon, India. The highest combined anopheline larval density (2.3 per dip) was recorded in the 31st week. The peak adult density for malaria vectors An. stephensi (4.14 per man hour) and An. culicifacies (1.02 per man hour) were reported in the month of August. The highest percentage of total infestation for anophelines and other breeding habitats were in tanks (48.72%) and ponds (6.41%) in Autumn and wells (4.79%) in the Winter season. The highest population of An. stephensi and An. culicifacies were collected from the peripheral area in comparison to central part of the study area. Maximum malaria cases along with highest larval density (1.8 per dip) were recorded from Sector 3.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Prescribing pattern by doctors for acute diarrhoea in children in Delhi, India.

Parents (mostly mothers) of 264 children aged less than 5 years with acute watery diarrhoea were interviewed about their treatment profile before hospitalization in Delhi, India in 1993. Only 22% of the cases were given prescriptions for oral rehydration solutions (ORS), whereas a very high proportion (64%) of them were given drugs, including antibiotics and antidiarrhoeals and 40% were given intravenous fluids. The differences among the treatment groups were highly significant. The government and private doctors were equally responsible for the low rate of prescription of ORS. The confidence of health professionals in ORS appears to be very low. The findings suggest the need of a high-profile continuing education programme to encourage ORS prescription in Delhi.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1995

Malaria problem and its control in north eastern states of India.

There has been a substantial increase in the overall malaria incidence and incidence of Plasmodium falciparum in the north-eastern region of India. The main contributory factors for this are: (i) difficult terrain, (ii) 'Jhum' cultivation, (iii) presence of optimum climatic conditions for prolonged transmission, (iv) presence of highly efficient malaria vectors, (v) developmental projects attracting aggregation of labour, (vi) influx of population along the international borders and (vii) chloroquine resistant P. falciparum strains. To combat this situation new approaches like providing 100 per cent Central assistance, intensifying training of personnel and DDT spray, opening Drug Distribution Centres and Fever Treatment Depots and making drugs available in the villages have been put into action. In this communication the overall malaria situation in the north-east India is discussed.

DDT↗
PubMed1994

Malaria paradigms in India and control strategies.

The paper gives a brief history of malaria control in India through the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP), National Malaria Eradication Programme (NMEP), implementation of the Modified Plan of Operation (MPO), strengthening of malaria control by launching P. falciparum Containment Programme (PfCP) and the Urban Malaria Scheme (UMS). Making reference to various evaluations of the NMEP, the paper analyses the present malaria situation and brings out reasons demanding change in the strategy of malaria control in consonance with the global malaria control strategy of the World Health Organization (WHO). The epidemiological analysis has revealed that the present adverse malaria situation concentrates mostly under the following five epidemiological paradigms viz. (i) tribal malaria, (ii) rural malaria, (iii) urban malaria, (iv) industrial malaria, and (v) border malaria. Malaria control requires specific approaches and control strategies for each paradigm. We have suggested changes/augmentation in the organizational set-up beginning from NMEP Directorate to the most peripheral health units. The primary responsibility of malaria prevention and control including cost in developmental projects should be shared by the corporate sectors through intersectoral coordination. Residual problems during maintenance phase of the project would come under the general health services. International and bilateral cooperation increases resources availability. The available tools and their rational use for malaria control in different epidemiological paradigms has been discussed with emphasis on integrated control, selective use of chemical insecticides and adoption of cost-effective and sustainable malaria control methods. In this context, intersectoral collaboration, community participation, training, operational research and health education have been discussed as the vital components for effective malaria control.

Communicable Disease Control↗
PubMed1994

Measles mortality in India: a review of community based studies.

This paper reviews the measles Case Fatality Ratios (CFRs) reported in the community based studies from India. Measles mortality varied considerably in outbreaks, prospective and retrospective studies. A median CFR of 2.5 per cent (0.2-3.7), 0.1 per cent (0-2.2) and 3.7 per cent (0-23.9) was recorded in prospective, retrospective and outbreak studies respectively. The retrospective studies seem to underestimate the measles mortality in Indian setting. Most of the outbreaks recording CFRs equal to or less than the median, 3.7 per cent, occurred in the areas where health care facilities were available for treatment of measles associated complications. Virtually in all studies, the age specific CFRs wherever recorded, were found to be the highest among infants and thereafter the ratios declined progressively. Although suggestive of, the studies did not provide sufficient data to establish an association between malnourishment and the risk of dying from measles. Measles mortality was not consistently high in any particular sex. The study makes a strong case for measles immunization at the earliest recommended age and the provision of better health services as the important public health measures for reducing the measles CFRs.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1994

Poliomyelitis in Delhi: a projection on pool of at-risk under five during 1995.

Due to lacunae in coverage and limitation in efficacy, immunization with oral polio vaccine has left a group of susceptible children at risk of developing poliomyelitis. The present study, with the help of statistics, projects the size of that susceptible pool of underfive children in Delhi during 1995. With the help of available data and some assumption, a formula has been developed for the purpose. The size of the pool thus estimated is about 3.7 lakh. There is a need to develop methodology for finding such susceptibles at community level, particularly at the terminal phase of eradication. An additional approach of immunization has also been suggested to facilitate the prospect of polio eradication.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1994

An outbreak of influenza A (H3N2) in Delhi, 1993.

An outbreak of Influenza A, subtype H3N2 occurred in Delhi during July-August, 1993. Both urban and rural areas were affected. Attack rates in children and adults were found to be similar; the mean age of patients from whom the virus was isolated was found to be 21 years. The disease was of acute onset, mild in nature and about one week in duration. Main symptoms included fever, chills, cough, sore throat, bodyaches, backache and headache. Complications were absent. About 82 per cent of the affected house-holds had only a single case. Influenza A subtype H3N2 virus was isolated from 12 of 15 throat swabs collected from PUO cases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

D.D.T. resistance in Sergentomyia shorttii (Diptera: Psychodidae) in Kamrup, Assam--first report in Sergentomyia genus.

S. shorttii, a common phlebotomine sandfly species of Assam, was tested for susceptibility to commonly used insecticides, D.D.T., malathion and Fenitrothion in Kamrup district, Assam. Tests carried out by WHO test kits showed 100 per cent mortalities against discriminating concentrations of malathion (5 per cent) and Fenitrothion (1 per cent). With D.D.T., in 1 hr. exposure mortalities recorded were 54.5 and 64.4 per cent, whereas in 24 hr. exposure mortalities were 75 per cent and 90 per cent. The area has been under continuous D.D.T. spraying since the beginning of NMEP in 1958, and high selection pressure appears to have precipitated D.D.T. resistance in this partly exophilic species.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Absence of Phlebotomus argentipes Ann & Brun. (Diptera: Psychodidae) the vector of Indian kala-azar from Kamrup district, Assam.

In the past Assam was devastated by epidemics of Kala-azar. However, inspite of resurgence of this disease in Bihar and neighbouring areas Assam has remained untouched by this disease since the mid 1950s so far. The study undertaken in Kamrup district, sought to provide an entomological explanation for Assam's present freedom from Kala-azar. Sandfly collections were made in 15 villages. Three different methods were used; namely hand collections by aspirator and torch, sticky traps and examination of soft parts of cattle in the villages for mating swarms. 1049 sandflies were collected which did not include any specimens of P. argentipes. The vector of Indian Kala-azar has either been eliminated by continuous insecticide spraying in this high P. falciparum, and chloroquine resistance area or reduced to such low levels of prevalence that routine sampling methods are unable to reveal its presence. The implications of this finding are discussed in relation to Kala-azar control in India, in general.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Impact of DDT indoor residual spraying on Phlebotomus argentipes in a kala-azar endemic village in eastern Uttar Pradesh.

Data on the operational efficacy of DDT indoor residual spraying against Phlebotomus argentipes, the vector of kala-azar in India, are scarce. We therefore undertook a study of the impact on kala-azar and its vector of DDT indoor residual spraying in the Varanasi district of eastern Uttar Pradesh. Preliminary results indicate that after two rounds of DDT spraying in one village no P. argentipes were found during the peak vector season; in contrast, a large number of these sandfies were collected in the unsprayed comparison village.

Aerosols↗
PubMed1993

Molecular cloning of the testicular follicle stimulating hormone receptor of the non human primate Macaca fascicularis and identification of multiple transcripts in the testis.

Reverse transcription PCR was used to amplify the complete open reading frame of the follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) from testicular poly (A)+ RNA of the non-human primate Macaca fascicularis. Along with the structural motifs of a G-protein coupled receptor, sequence analysis reveals that the monkey FSHR is highly homologous to the human FSHR and has specific features such as N-linked glycosylation sites which are identical to the human FSHR but not present in the rat or ovine FSHR. Northern blot hybridization of testicular poly (A)+ RNA to a cRNA probe corresponding to the extracellular domain of the monkey FSHR resulted in the identification of several transcripts, indicating alternative splicing events of the primary transcript.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

An investigation of an outbreak of viral hepatitis in a residential area of Delhi.

Epidemiological investigation of a focal outbreak of jaundice in the KD block of Pitampura, Delhi during February-March 1992 revealed that 7.0 per cent of the population of the block suffered from viral hepatitis. There was no age or sex predilection. Epidemiological findings and Serological studies suggest that the epidemic was due to Hepatitis E (Enterically transmitted Non A and Non B) virus.

Adolescent↗